Ring in Big Hair Summer With These 13 Hair Mousses That Made Our Hair Full and Beautiful (2024)

TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Key Ingredients: Vegetable protein, neem oil, papaya extract | Hair Type: Curly or wavy | Size: 5.6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This all-star—a hybrid mousse-meets-pomade—was a huge hit with our curly-haired testers. Enriched with moisturizing neem oil and volume-enhancing papaya extract, the formula promises to boost body and texture while leaving each strand shiny and soft—and it delivers.

Our testers raved about how big and bouncy this product made curls. It managed to define each coil and wave without weighing it down and eliminated signs of static. The formula is super lightweight, it was barely perceptible once the hair was dry and adequately scrunched. After styling, every strand looked fresh and felt silky. There was no need for any additional products—this mousse did it all.

Michelle, tester with hair type 3C: “So happy I found a product that has worked better than any other I've used on my curls. It provided hydration and the bounce I always hoped to achieve with the products I normally use.”

Key Ingredients: Arginine, serine, Va/​Crotonates/​Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer | Hair Type: Fine, flat | Size: 8.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This styling mousse from L’Oreal Paris proves you don’t have to spend big money to get big results. The formula gave our testers’ hair a noticeable lift at the roots and helped accentuate and hold their styles. It made our straight-haired tester’s A-line bob look smoother and more sophisticated (think: the Posh Spice bob from back in the day) while our curly-haired tester appreciated that it defined her waves and kept them looking great until evening.

The formula is super airy and doesn’t weigh down fine hair, although the initial volume boost slowly drops over time.

ElizaBeth, tester with hair type 1A: “It really did give my hair a nice level of volume that I did not have before the blowout. It was full and looked very sophisticated.

Key Ingredients: Sugarcane extract, rosemary leaf extract, glycerin | Hair Type: All | Size: 3.6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The cherry on top of a big, bouncy blowout is a gorgeous scent—a quality that hooked us when we tried this mousse from AG Care. This natural formula contains lots of yummy-smelling ingredients, including orange and tangerine peel oils. Meanwhile, its volume-boosting abilities come courtesy of sugarcane extract and corn starch—two natural thickening agents.

This moisturizing mousse made the hair soft, shiny, and free from static. It gave good lift at the root and left hair feeling fuller to the touch, though we did notice a little residue at the scalp which gave the impression of greasiness.

Arielle, tester with hair type 1A: “It did give me more volume and body. My hair is usually very flat, especially on the second day without washing, so this was a nice change!”

Key Ingredients: Blue Agave nectar, castor oil | Hair Type: Dry | Size: 8.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

While some mousses can leave hair feeling dry, this one aims to improve hair condition with each use. The pillowy formula is infused with blue agave nectar which acts like a mini hair treatment, helping parched strands retain moisture.

That being said, it doesn’t sacrifice volume for all that hydration. Both our testers reported a major boost in fullness. One raved that it appeared as if her hair had been in heatless curlers while the other praised the mousse's ability to boost volume at her roots, creating a lifted look that remained the following day. Another major plus was how smooth and static-free it left their hair, although one lamented a lack of shine.

Erickka, tester with hair type 2A/B: “I do not normally add any product to my hair but for this result, I would definitely use it more often in my routine when I want more volume.I love the scent. Almost that 'I just had my hair done at the salon' smell.”

Key Ingredients: Pliable Polymer Blend, Golden Root Extract, essential oils | Hair Type: All | Size: 6.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Mousse is considered a styling essential to puff up fine hair by many pro stylists, so, it’s ironic that some formulas can actually weigh down fine strands, leaving them flatter than before. That’s certainly not an issue with this option from Drybar, which blew us away with its ability to supercharge a blowout for seriously bouncy, voluminous results—even on “baby-fine” and super straight hair.

One tester raved that it made her strands “plush and airy” without any heaviness or crunchiness. Another said it left her hair soft and shiny, preventing her blow-dried-straight hair from gradually reverting to wavy.

Stephanie, tester with hair type 1A/B: “Like, wow. I'm honestly so impressed as my hair is baby-fine and often doesn't hold that much product. My hair is fuller, bouncier, and has much more defined volume at the roots.”

Key Ingredients: Sunflower Seed Oil, Glycerin, and Vitamin E | Hair Type: All | Size: 5.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Oribe’s aptly named Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse is a splurgy option, but worth the investment in our opinion. More than just a volumizing product, it also contains the brand’s signature complex, which protects hair from heat and UV damage, oxidative stress, and the deterioration of its natural keratin. Oh, and it smells like a dream, according to our testers.

The light and airy formula promptly disappears as it’s applied, and after blow drying, hair was thicker, shinier, and so much easier to style. The mousse immediately boosted hair volume at the root (and added impressive fullness overall), although one tester found that it gradually decreased as the day wore on.

Elena, tester with hair type 1A and type 2A bonded hair extensions: “It really spread beautifully in the hair. It had the exact texture you want in a mouse and once it was in, it disappeared, leaving no residue but your hair dried to feel thicker and more textured which is exactly what my super-thick hair needed.”

Key Ingredients: Marshmallow Root & Castor Oil | Hair Type: Curly, natural, textured | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If defined curls and enhanced texture are your hair goals, this weightless mousse was made for you. Packed with nourishing ingredients like marshmallow root and castor oil, it’s designed to define, hydrate, and preserve natural curl patterns (3B-4C), delivering weightless volume in one easy step.

Our testers agreed this mousse gave their hair the definition and hold they were after. Curls appeared perfectly coiled and bouncy and miraculously stayed that way through to the end of some very busy days. The formula’s “cloud-like” consistency didn’t cause any stickiness, and the curls still felt soft and smooth. While they didn’t concur on the amount of volume they experienced while using this mousse, both were impressed with the overall results.

Nikki, tester with hair type 4A/B: “This product is perfect for my hair type and texture. It is lightweight yet has enough hold to tackle Afro hair. My curls are defined and frizz-free and my hair appears healthier and shinier than before I used this product.”

Key Ingredients: Algae Extract, white ginger extract, panthenol | Hair Type: All | Size: 6.7, 16.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

It’s super annoying when you leave the house looking cute but arrive at your destination with fizzy, static-y hair that won’t be tamed. But this silky mousse from Paul Mitchell smooths hair out and keeps it that way.

The formula made curls defined and separated (albeit a little crunchy according to one tester), and when combined with a blow dry, it left a smooth finish with plenty of volume and bounce. Thanks to its light and foamy consistency, the mousse didn’t weigh strands down, even when heavy-handed with the product. However, one tester did notice it began to feel heavy on her hair if she didn’t wash it for a few days.

Jonna, tester with hair type 2A: “I love how much fuller my hair looks without being frizzy. Normally my hair is puffy and a little bit frizzy, and this mousse helped tame my frizz and increase volume. I love it!”

Key Ingredients: Xylose, sunflower seed extract | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’ve got color-treated hair—which, let’s face it, tends to be more fragile and prone to damage—reach for this mousse from Pureology. It protects your hair as you style it. The key ingredient here is xylose, which is known to prevent damage from heat styling (avid blow dryers, this one’s for you).

Once our testers figured out how many pumps of product to use for their hair length (one for shorter styles, two or three for medium and long lengths) they were pleased with the volume the mousse achieved. Their hair was smoother, less frizzy, and, crucially, maintained its style all day without falling flat. Our tester with colored hair was relieved to have found an effective styling product designed specifically with her hair concerns in mind.

Mandy, tester with hair type 1A: “I also like that it leaves my hair feeling weightless as if I didn't have product in it, and I can run my fingers through it easily.”

Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Salicylic Acid, glycerin | Hair Type: All | Size: 10.58 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Any seasoned blow-dry expert knows that voluminous hair starts at the roots. This foam from Redken promises to lift even the most stubbornly flat and forlorn strands, and we can confirm that it works.

Spraying this product directly onto the roots and massaging it in made usually fine, limp hair appear lifted and voluminous. Better still, it maintained the root elevation with no discernable midday drop. There was no residue left behind after drying, in fact, the hair felt natural and soft, and the overall finish was, in a word, “refined.”

Stacey, tester with hair type 1A: “The hair mousse definitely gave the hair a naturally voluminous look, even with a subtle blow dry.”

Key Ingredients: Linseed, aloe vera, ginseng | Hair Type: Fine | Size: 5.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If your hair is on the finer end of the spectrum then “lighter-feeling and easily liquified mousses” will be a game changer for you, explains Caspara. Of all the formulas we tried, this one, which one of our testers described as “nearly the same consistency as water,” was incredibly weightless and made a blowout on fine hair look ultra professional, full-bodied, and smooth. It also felt ultra soft and noticeably thicker when running fingers through it.

It’s worth noting that our thicker-haired tester didn’t have as much luck with this mousse. The consistency was too lightweight to volumize or define her curls, but she did discover it was perfect for taming her edges.

Stacey, tester with hair type 1A: “I noticed an immediate difference in the body and texture of my hair; it's like I was given a brand new head of hair because it felt so thick compared to my normal thin, fine texture.”

Key Ingredients: Panthenol | Hair Type: All | Size: 7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For a bouncy-bombshell look, reach for a bottle of this stuff. We were wowed by this mousse’s instant impact, imparting shine, volume, and plenty of bounce—even on ultra-thick hair.

The fluffy foam is designed to provide a strong hold but is virtually imperceptible once applied, dissolving on the hair without leaving any icky residue behind. While the hold it created was decent, our testers did note their blowouts fell a little flat by the end of the day. Given that you’re likely to use heat styling with this mousse, you might also appreciate that it comes with built-in heat protection.

Jackie, tester with hair type 2B: “I was amazed after styling my hair with this. It had immediate shine, bounce, and volume after I curled it that was way more noticeable than my usual hair styling.”

Key Ingredients: Palmitic acid, glycerin | Hair Type: Curly, wavy | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This product impressed us with its ultra-flexible hold (a pro for curly and wavy hair in particular) because no one likes a stiff, crunchy 1980s-style mousse. It did a great job of sculpting curls, making them defined, static-free, and soft, with not even a hint of dreaded crunchiness.

The formula provided a noticeable volume boost for our fine-haired tester but didn’t do much in terms of fullness for our thick-haired tester. However, they agreed that this mousse has a flexible, natural finish.

Kimberly, tester with hair type 3A/B: “I like that it kept my curls styled with the right amount of hold (I like a really gentle, flexible hold) and kept the frizz in check.”

FAQ

• What are the benefits of adding mousse to your hair routine?

  In short, mousse is a really versatile styling product. It can do everything from boosting volume and giving the appearance of thicker hair to sculpting curls and preventing flyaways. It can even improve the condition of your hair. “Mousse is a great product to use because it rehydrates the hair and allows the natural texture to come out,” adds Gutterman.

• Are there any potential pitfalls of using styling mousse?

  Depending on the hold power of a styling mousse, you run the risk of excessive stiffness that can create a hard and unnatural look when air-drying hair or sticky and greasy-looking roots after blow drying. “The trick with mousse is starting with a golf ball-sized amount and emulsifying it between your hands until it’s completely liquified before applying it,” advises Caspara. “Based on your final results, you can gauge how much to use and adjust accordingly the next time.”

• How do I apply mousse for the best results?

  Start with towel-dried, slightly air-dried hair (think 50% remaining moisture). Rub the mousse between your palms until it liquifies, making it easy to distribute, then apply it to your hair before styling as desired. “For the most even application, I recommend applying mousse directly onto a large, wide-toothed comb and combing it through damp hair,” says Caspara.

  Gutterman adds that you can even use mousse as a style refresher. “I like to add a mousse to my curls on day two to refresh them and control frizz,” she says.